Alexander Maclaren

Alexander Maclaren (11 February 1826 – 5 May 1910) was a Scottish Baptist minister and writer. He was famous in his own day for his expository preaching, and became president of the Baptist Union. He is remembered today mainly for his bible commentaries, which are made up of collections of his sermons.

Biography Maclaren was born in Glasgow, Scotland, the son of David Maclaren, a merchant and Baptist lay preacher. His father went to Australia from 1837 to 1841 where he served as Resident Manager of the South Australian Company, leaving his family in Edinburgh. During his father's absence, Maclaren was converted and publicly baptized into the fellowship of the Hope St. Baptist Church, Glasgow, some time between age 11 and 13. He was educated at the Glasgow High School and Glasgow University,

Maclaren was twice president of the Baptist Union of Great Britain, and he was president of the Baptist World Congress in London in 1905. He received honorary degrees in divinity from both Edinburgh and Glasgow Universities. In 1896, the citizens of Manchester had his portrait painted for their art gallery, and the Anglican bishop of Manchester gave the address when the painting was presented. He said that few speakers had exceeded Maclaren "for profundity of thought, logical arrangement, eloquence of appeal, and power over the human heart". Many attempts were made to draw Maclaren from Manchester, but he remained there despite his dislike of the climate and the workload. In 1903, he was made pastor emeritus and retired from the active ministry.

Works Bible Class Expositions - The Gospel of Matthew The Expositor's Bible - The Psalms I to CL (1891–1894, 3 volume set) Expositions of Holy Scripture (1900) The Victor's Crown The Life of David As Reflected in His Psalms The Unchanging Christ The God of the Amen Leaves from the Tree of Life Last Sheaves